Sonic: Stronger
by Sonic155
Summary: "So, let me get this straight. You want ME, a freakin' teenager, to go running around playing hero?" "...Yes." "And you want me to risk my life to stop some 'dark, and mysterious force' who supposedly killed THE Sonic the Hedgehog?" "...Correct." "Uh huh, right, right. And how will the world react when an actual video game character, oh, I don't know,... COMES TO LIFE!" "...?"
1. Prologue

**And here is another story from me. Honestly, I've planned on doing this one for awhile. If all goes well, then it might actually stay. Only time and reviews can tell if it'll be a success. Now, this story is a bit similar to my cancelled story: Sonic: Return of the heroes, but not by much.**

**Sonic: Say, are you ever going to continue that one?**

**Shadow: Probably not with her lousy schedule.**

**Hey! I have school coming up!**

**Shadow: *rolls eyes* Likely story.**

***mutters* Emo-hog. Anyway, in the story, some of the chapters will follow up to the games, but a bit differently. I'll do ones such as Secret Rings, Unleashed, Riders, Colors, Lost World-**

**Shadow: God, the skittle rejects and 06: the sequel? This is-**

**-Generations, and so on! Old characters will also be returning, and maybe I'll put in newer characters such as Relic, Sticks, or Perci.**

**Sonic: Wait, so Sonic Boom will be a chapter?**

**Hahaha, no. I don't think so.**

**Shadow: Just start the damn story already.**

**Right. Lets get on with it then. Sonic, if you would?**

**Sonic: Sure. Sonic155 doesn't own any of us except her own ocs. We belong to SEGA.**

* * *

Gems...

They gently hovered around in a small circle, in a calm and peaceful way. Each one had a different and unique color. A color that represented a feeling, an emotion really. A soft and spiritual glow which would illuminate from time to time. People had often wondered what was the famous mystery to these sparkling wonders. Where did they come from? What properties could they do? How _exactly_ did they work? No one knew for sure. The mystery of the Seven Chaos Emeralds was truly intriguing. Only a small group of beings knew the true origins of the emeralds and what they were capable of. But this small group were only three beings, each with different talents, and unique powers.

Cool sapphire eyes watched carefully as each gem passed by, gently breezing in a nice, calming way. The owner of said eyes smiled. No matter how many times she had to retrieve the emeralds for dire situations such as the one she was currently in, she couldn't help but relish the peaceful feeling the emeralds had to offer. It was relaxing.

The girl frowned.

If only others could see the true beauty of the emeralds, instead of focusing on trying to gain their power for selfish reasons. If only a certain someone hadn't made her be in the same situation she was in now. If only a certain someone hadn't claimed the lives of...no... they were alright. They were in a happier place.

"Tikal."

Once she heard the deep voice, the ancient echidna separated her gaze from the emeralds, and slowly turned to the man with green reptilian skin. His violet eyes from under his hood watching as she straightened up. The girl swallowed nervously.

"Yes? What is it, Oracle?" Tikal timidly asked in a soft voice. Whenever her mentor used that tone, it meant trouble was not too far behind. Honestly, she didn't know how much more heartache and grief she could take. Her world was falling apart faster than she dreaded.

The Oracle of Delphius stared at his young apprentice knowingly. He knew that look. She was preparing for the worst to come. She was trying to be brave, trying so hard not to break down right there and now. The Oracle felt a grimace coming along, but he kept a straight face. He knew this would happen. Sonic's death. The conquest of Mobius. The shattering of the Master Emerald. Chaos' rampage.

Chaos.

He was the main reason as to why Tikal was behaving this way. Those two have had quite a history together. After Chaos' defeat from Sonic, he acted even more protective around Tikal. Why, Tikal seemed to see him as a older brother of some sort. At the time, the Oracle felt as if nothing could go wrong...but he knew it couldn't last like that forever. It was predicted in the future, the former God of Destruction would fall prey to the enemy's grasp...and fall prey he did. Now he was just a heartless and mindless monster pledged to serve the enemy.

The Oracle mentally heaved a sigh.

Ever since the fall of her claimed 'brother', Tikal has been a shell of her former self. It was truly depressing to see such a bright spirit turn into a fragile girl deprived of all hope. The Oracle hoped with all his magical will that what he was about to show her would make Tikal start to believe again.

"It is time."

Tikal stood there, deadly still, processing what her mentor said. Time? Time for what? Were they off to Angel Island again? They hadn't planned on going there. Perhaps, the Oracle finally found the last shard to the Master Emerald? No, she would've been informed immediately if that were the case. "Oracle, if I may, what do you mean by that?"

The Oracle sighed. He expected her to ask this. Turning his back on her, he began to walk off slowly.

"Come. I shall show you what I mean."

_'Show me? What does he mean?' _were the echidna's thoughts as her eyes watched her mentor come to a halt. Slowly, she followed until she halted to a stop not too far behind the old-timer. The reptilian anteater calmly rose a green, tri-fingered hand, and slowly started to wave it around through the air in a circular motion. Nothing appeared at first. But as the minutes wore on, a small crackle could be heard as faded blue energy began to sparkle to life in a circular shape. Slight wind blew out the now formed vortex, licking at the Oracle's face. He smiled once his little task was complete. Now, he could proceed with the first step of the plan.

Without looking behind him, the cloaked-one took his left hand and gestured for his young one to come forth. Tikal immediately obeyed, padding her sandals across the ground until she stood right next to her mentor. She looked deep within the vortex, hoping to find the answer she longed for. You see, whenever the Oracle summoned a portal, it meant that young Tikal had to search within it until she found the answer, the event that was going to take place that day. Sometimes she would succeed, and others... not so much. After scanning the swirling mass of light and energy for nearly ten minutes, Tikal sighed in defeat. It looked like it was going to be one of those slow and unsuccessful days... or so she thought.

"Tikal," a voice said, interrupting her thoughts. The orange echidna quickly opened her eyes, and looked up to meet the watchful eyes of her father-like figure, "tell me, what do you see?"

The fragile spirit turned away to look at the portal. She frowned in confusion.

"I...I don't see anything, Oracle. I can't find it this time."

She heard the Master of Time hum in thought.

"Close your eyes, Tikal. Close them and let them rest for a moment. When you're ready, open them and focus on the portal." the Oracle instructed.

Tikal nodded and did what she was told, relieved that she could rely on him for guidance. Momentarily, everything was black, as she took in a deep breath, calming her nerves a little. The Oracle watched as her body stood perfectly still. He smiled. Good. That meant she relaxed a little. Now, here comes the hard part.

"Now, I want you to open your eyes on the count of three, do I make myself clear?" A nod from the echidna urged him to continue. "Alright, one, two, ...three."

Gently, she opened her eyes and blinked a little, before peering into the vortex. She strained them just a bit, hoping she could find something -_anything-_ for a clue. Come on, where was it? Surely, it had to be there somewhere. Maybe if she focused on the center a little- hold on. There in the center, she saw something. Two blurs, a brown one, and a pale one. As she focused more on the odd image, it slowly began shifting more and more until a clear image appeared. Her eyes furrowed in confusion.

The Oracle smiled upon noticing her expression. He knew she'd find it eventually.

"Tikal, what do you see?"

"I..." she hesitated for a moment, not sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her. Perhaps, she needed more sleep? "...I...I see two boys walking around in an empty room. One seems to be a teen, while..." she cut herself off as she caught a glimpse of the sapphire Chaos Emerald glowing a little as soon as she mentioned 'teen'. What was the meaning of that? "...while the other is a young boy." And just as she finished, the yellow Chaos Emerald glowed a little. She raised an eyebrow in questioning. Just what were up with the Chaos Emeralds? Maybe she'd have to look into that later on.

The Oracle nodded as he watched the scene play in the portal. Two boys were walking around in an empty room with white walls, and soft beige carpet. The Oracle made his eyes glow slightly, commanding the portal to grant them access to hear their conversation.

_One of the boys, the young one, stopped walking and pointed to one wall._

_"Hey, Jake, what if you placed the TV on this wall? I'm sure I'd be able to get the right screws to mount it there." he suggested, pointing at the wall while glancing at the other boy._

_The other one, the teen, shook his head. "Nah, you don't have to do that, Miles. Just let dad take care of it."_

_The boy shook his head. "No, no, I insist. Besides, I'm positive mom and dad are worn out from just moving here. They had to move the couch, the table, our bed-sets, and so on."_

_"Yeah," the teen said, scratching the tip of his nose with an index finger, "which is why we had the moving crew help out, remember?"_

As she watched the scene with curious eyes, Tikal took note of two of the Chaos Emeralds' strange behavior. Each time the boy spoke, the yellow emerald glowed, and each time the teen spoke, the blue emerald glowed. It was almost as if...they were connected somehow.

_The boy sighed. "Yes, I remember. How could I forget? One of them collapsed on the couch for nearly three hours."_

_The teen chuckled. "Good thing Shabestan was there to wake him up. I think tha-" The teen paused abruptly when he shivered._

Tikal tilted her head to the side, wondering why the teen had stopped speaking.

_Blinking a little, the teen slowly turned his head in Tikal's direction, a look of confusion etched on his face._

Tikal gasped. The way he looked towards her, and his odd behavior... could he sense their presence?

The Oracle smiled. The boy was sharper than he looked. Looks like he was the right one after all.

_The teen held his stare for a minute, before he turned his head in many other directions, looking around the place in a puzzled manner. Yet, he snapped out of it when he heard the boy calling him._

_"Hey, Jake? Jaaaaaaaake? Earth to Jake? Dude, are you in there?"_

_Shaking his head, the teen relaxed, turned away from the two observing beings, and faced his younger brother._

_"Yeah, I'm here."_

_"Are you okay? What was that?"_

_The teen waved him off. "It's... nothing. I just thought I heard something."_

_"Maybe it's Cameron rehearsing one of her speeches again?"_

_"Yeah... maybe."_

Without warning, the scene ended as it faded away into the swirling light blue mass once more. Tikal just stood there, wondering what would happen now? She turned to her mentor, who was smiling. But why? What just took place almost seemed normal -well except for that teen-aged boy. Could he actually had detected them? No normal human being had done it before. Was that boy even normal?

Noticing her gaze, the Oracle turned to her with that same smile. It really started to bother her.

"Can you tell me what that was?" he asked.

Tikal opened her mouth but no words came out. Uncertainty bled in her eyes and she shook her head no. The older one chuckled.

"That, young one, is only the beginning of the prophecy."

Now Tikal was really confused. Prophecy? What prophecy? Why didn't she know about this?

Upon seeing her perplexed look, he continued. "It is said that a great evil would come and bring our world to its' end. The origins of where he came from is... unknown. Sadly, it stated nearly nothing could stop this dark, dark force at the time. Even our worldly protector and his group of allies fell beneath this force. As time grew on, the dark force grew more stronger, ferocious, dangerous, practically unbeatable."

Tikal shakily looked at him, fear clutching at her soul. Practically unbeatable? That couldn't be right. They were still here! There had to be a way to fight this- wait... Didn't her mentor do something to the enemy?

As if sensing her thoughts, Oracle smirked lightly. "I see you're catching on. Yes, I did do something to the enemy. I weakened him. But," he fixed his apprentice with a firm look, "it won't hold forever. It'll give us enough time to perform the prophecy."

This puzzled the echidna. "Perform?"

The reptilian anteater nodded with a smile. "Yes, preform. _'When a mist of darkness washes over our land, bonds will break, lives will perish, and heroes will fall. But in our dire time of need, a band of new heroes shall rise to rid both our worlds of evil'_."

"Both our worlds? Oracle, I don't understand. The Prime Zone aren't suffering our fate, are they?" Tikal asked with a bit of urgency.

Sensing her tone, Oracle assured her with a warm smile. "No. They're fine, Tikal. The world that I speak of, however, will not be for much longer."

"And... what is this world like?"

"A world far different from our own. Here, our kind do not exist. Only humans and regular animals roam around freely. To the humans, we would be considered as 'make believe.' But if they actually realized that we are indeed real, chaos would ensure. These beings fear what they do not understand and will not understand until they can fully accept us."

"But.. if that is true... then how can these heroes help them?" the girl asked. She couldn't help but let her eyes lower in disapproval. That... that sounded awful. She was taught by her grandmother to never judge a book by it's cover. She hoped this wasn't the case with all humans.

"All will be answered in time." the cloaked one smiled. Now... have you ever wondered how young Sonic and the others may be fairing?" he asked.

At the mention of her deceased friends, Tikal faced the ground with a sober look. "I'm sure they're doing fine wherever they are now, Oracle."

A chuckle brought her out of her depressed state. "You are correct, young one. For their very spirits are placed inside the Emeralds."

What?

The cloaked reptilian anteater turned to look at the Emeralds, catching Tikal's speechless expression. "Yes, you heard me correctly. You see, just before they were separated from their body, the Emeralds performed a last resort; absorbing their form and energy just as the prophecy said. Each hero is with their respected color. For example: Young Sonic is in the blue Emerald, Mr. Prower is in the yellow one, and so on. As for guardian Knuckles... well, his spirit lies within the form of the Master Emerald."

"The Master Emerald?" Tikal gasped, not believing her ears. "But I thought that was shattered beyond repair!"

"That is a story for another day." the Oracle chuckled. "And these emeralds will not be the only ones assisting us."

Tikal watched in stunned silence as a second set of emeralds levitated into the room, the Sol Emeralds.

The Sol Emeralds were quite similar to the Chaos Emeralds in many ways. The only differences were their rectangular shape, their fiery properties, and the fact that they kept a certain princess' dimension stable. They stopped right beside the Chaos Emeralds.

"Princess Blaze's soul is in the purple Sol Emerald. Traveler Silver claimed the white one. And the rest shall be revealed in due time." explained the Oracle. He studied both sets of emeralds for a brief moment, before he snapped his fingers. Tikal watched as even _more_ emeralds entered the room, followed in strangely by rainbow-colored rings.

"These here are the last ones to be brought in." he said. He gave the echidna a look. "Listen closely, Tikal. These emeralds are _copies_ of the original ones. Nonetheless, I managed to equal the amount of power they possess just by a little. Inside are the rest of the required spirits. And as for the rings, well, you'll find out soon enough do you understand?"

Tikal nodded, watching all the glowing, floating objects in awe. They were so beautiful. It was like she was watching the Chaotic Lights. (A/N: Mobius' version of the Northern Lights. That's how I see it.) She would've stared at them longer, had the Oracle not placed his other and on her other shoulder. She was slightly surprised by the serious look she received.

"Now, Tikal," he started in a firm tone, "here is your mission."

* * *

**And there you go! So whatcha guys think?**

**Sonic and Shadow: ...**

**Sonic: ...Why are we dead?**

**Shadow: *brings out gun***

***Ignores it* Well, fine! I thought it was good!**

**Shadow: *loads gun***

**Sonic: ...Okay. So, who's the new baddie?**

***grins* You'll have to wait to find out.**

**Shadow: *aims it at me***

***turns to him* Shoot me and SEGA **_**will**_** find out about this.**

**Shadow: *scowls and lowers the gun***

**Anyway, seeya soon!**


	2. Beginnings part 1

**Here we are, back with chapter 1!**

**Sonic: Uh, didn't you just post this yesterday?**

**Yep, but I felt like updating again. Now, where's the prince of darkness at?**

**Sonic: *shrugs* Eh, said he couldn't make it. Something about a mission from G.U.N. ***grins* **So, Tails is gonna cover for him instead, isn't that right, bud? **

**Tails: *nods with a smile* Right. I'm glad I could be here. I've been meaning to see what this new story is all about.**

**Sonic: *frowns* Hate to break it to ya, bud, but...in the story, we're dead.**

**Tails: *widens eyes* W-what?**

**Okay! Lets just start the story! Tails, if you would?**

**Tails: Sonic155 doesn't own us, SEGA does.**

**See? That wasn't so bad.**

**Tails:...**

* * *

_**Beginnings part 1...**_

* * *

Two boys stood in the doorway to a new room, which greeted them. Both of them, observing the features of the place.

Lets see, four plain white walls? Check. Two closets on two separate walls, facing each other? Check. A ceiling fan that wouldn't be needed much? Check. Two separate windows? Check. And soft beige carpet they were already standing on? Check.

Yep, this was completely normal when you just moved in.

The smallest of the two, a young boy, observed around for a few more minutes, before turning his attention from the ceiling fan, to his best friend. "Well," he started after a short pause, "it's certainly bigger than your last one."

The oldest of the two, the teenager, thought on it for a moment. Afterwards, he simply gave his shoulders a small, nonchalant shrug.

"Eh, I guess. But still,...it just doesn't feel the same."

After reaching up to swat his blonde bangs away from his eyes, the boy frowned. He knew what his friend meant. I mean, how would you feel if your parents just dropped the 'Surprise! We're moving, sweetie!' bomb on you after coming home from school? It was just a big of a shock for Miles Prower as it was for his friend, Jacob Dixon. The teen was so devastated that day, that he locked himself up in his room for the rest of the day, skipping dinner, and avoiding his own family. Miles sighed.

"I know how you feel. I never got the chance to give Kellie a final goodbye." he said with a downhearted look. To think, he and Kellie were going to go to their secret garden to check on the plants. What he wouldn't give to see her smile one last time.

Jacob, or Jake, as he preferred, sighed. Sometimes, he wished his family and Miles' family didn't live in the same freaking house. That way, Miles could _make choices for himself_ more often, instead of following Jake around like an obedient pup. It's not that he enjoyed his friend's company, but Miles barely had any friends. But then again, that was probably due to his high IQ. The kid was smarter than the average 8 year old. Heck, he was smart enough to be in college! But, he only managed to skip all the way to the 9th grade, Jake's grade, and, well- wait, he was getting off topic. If Miles' family didn't live with Jake's family, then maybe he could've had a chance to visit Kellie more in the garden. That girl always did love nature, and even better, she was Miles' _only_ friend around his age.

Jake was just getting ready to place a hand on Miles' shoulder, when a sudden voice interrupted him.

"What are you boys doing?"

Both Jake and Miles immediately turned around... only to see Courtney, Jake's twin sister, standing in the hall.

Jake resisted the urge to groan in annoyance, and just settled with rolling his eyes instead.

Sisters. Don't you love them? They always had to come in at the wrong time, budding their noses in where they don't belong, especially Courtney. She had a special knack of doing that. In fact, it was _so_ special, that Jake had labeled it as her 'secret power.'

"Go away, Courtney. We're busy here."

"Busy doing what?" Courtney raised an eyebrow. "If you haven't noticed, your room is empty."

"Oh, thanks. Because I _so_ didn't know that."

"Well, what's up with you? No need to go barking at me."

"It's none of your business. Why don't you go bug Cody or somebody else? Can't you see we're having a _guy_ talk here?"

"Can't you see that you're 14, and Miles is 8? That's a pretty big age difference, you know."

"Smart-ass."

"Douche-bag.

"Okay, whoa!" Miles interrupted, throwing his hands in the air. "I'm still here, in case you were wondering." Jake and Courtney both shut their mouths, realizing he was right. They were slightly ashamed. Miles was a nice and innocent kid, he didn't need to hear _that. _Well, at least, not yet, anyway. After noticing the much needed silence, the blonde continued, this time facing Courtney. "Now, Courtney, we _were_ busy. We were planning what goes where in Jake's room, right Jake?"

Catching on quite quickly, Jake nodded. "Right, uh, what he said. We were actually in the middle of deciding where my TV was gonna be."

Courtney narrowed her dark brown eyes in suspicion. They didn't _seem_ busy. In fact, they were just standing around, blocking the entrance to her brother's room. If they were busy, wouldn't they be moving around, pointing at different areas in the room? After a few more minutes of staring, she sighed in defeat. Looks like they were telling the truth. She swore, boys were so weird.

"Okay, fine. I'll leave you be." she concluded, flicking a piece of caramel hair out of her face. What was the point in sticking around, anyway? She had to get back to unpacking her key board.

"Finally." Jake mumbled.

Sending a scowl towards his direction, Courtney turned, and walked off, disappearing down the hall.

Jake let a small smile of relief slip on his face. Good, she was gone. Now they could actually start planning, before they were caught by little Ms. Detective, again. Better to work on something than nothing, after all.

"Well," he said, after a few minutes, "we might as well get started." as he gave Miles an expectant look. Miles nodded, already heading inside the room, Jake not too long after.

* * *

_Knock. Knock-knock._

Ivo Eddward scowled.

Oh, who could be knocking at this hour? Couldn't the guy have _one_ day of peace? Working at school, dealing with kids, being called fat, grading papers, coming home late..._because of kids_, grading even _more_ papers, and did he mention dealing with kids? He _hated_ kids! In fact, he hated it all! The man sighed. Looks like he couldn't escape his bothersome life.

"It better not be those damn kids pranking me again, or there are going to be some pretty pissed parents tomorrow." he grumbled, getting up from his black, leather recliner. He grimaced. Oh, how he already missed the warmth of his beloved chair. It was just calling to him. Maybe if he just ignored the idiot knocking on his front door, then they'd go away?...No, not likely. He scowled, knowing he'd have to answer to the irritating fool sooner or later.

"Alright! Alright! I'm coming, just shut up already!" he shouted, already storming over to the pounding door. He stopped, and proceeded to unlock the door. Sighing, he swung the door open, and peered through the see-through screen. He wasn't too surprised to find nobody there.

_'One day I'll catch these damn kids, and make them pay. Make them all pay.'_ were his thoughts as his scowl deepened. He was just about to slam the door, but something stopped him from doing so.

There, on the foot of his porch, was a book.

He rose a brow. What was this? A gift? No, he wasn't expecting one anytime soon. He narrowed his eyes behind his glasses in suspicion. A trick, that's what it was! It just had to be one. Well, he'll just see about that.

Cautiously, Eddward bent down, and reached for the book. Ugh, how could people stand doing exercise? It was too hard! Come on, he was almost there...annnddd...ha! He got it! Carefully, the overweight man rose back up, wobbling slightly. Now, that his torture was over with, he took a cautious look around.

Kids, they could strike anywhere...

Satisfied that a water balloon, or an egg didn't hit him, Eddward proudly went back inside, and slammed the door behind him. And not long after that, he was back in his beloved chair, loving its warmth while stroking his ridiculous mustache. However, his curious pale-blue eyes couldn't keep away from the red book, which was now placed on his coffee table.

He frowned.

Just what was so important about this book that demanded his immediate attention? He didn't know what it was, but there was just something...odd about the object.

He sighed. Might as well give it a look. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?

Snatching it off the table, Eddward wasted no time in opening it up. He briefly gave the title a glance. 'The way of the Mad Genius?' Odd. After scanning the first few pages, one caught his attention. It left him to ponder for a while.

_'The E-Series?'_

* * *

**And we're done here! Okay, so?**

**Sonic: *shaking head* Oh, boy.**

**Tails: Oh, boy is right. This Eddward character seems somewhat familiar. My guess is he's-**

**Nope! Don't say a word about it.**

**Tails: But-**

**Okay! Seeya soon!**


	3. Beginnings part 2

**Hiya! I'm alive and kickin'! Just turned 16.**

**Sonic: Really? Then happy birthday to you. *thumbs up with a slight grin***

***smiles* Thanks, Blue.**

**Knuckles: *growls* You dragged me all the way from Angel Island for this kid's birthday? Come on! What if that bat comes for the Master Emerald while I'm gone?**

***lowers eyes in annoyance* Way to ruin the moment, Knux.**

**Sonic: *shakes head* Relax Knucklehead. A little birdie told me that she's busy on a mission.**

**Knuckles: *grumbles* Why am I here anyway? Shouldn't Tails be instead?**

**Nope! Two-Tail-Wonder decided to help Vanilla and Cream with Thanksgiving dinner. Speaking of which, I can't keep you two long here. Now it's story time...**

**Knuckles: *face starts to turn redder* I'm skipping my duty for a f-**

**Sonic: Uh, Sonic155 doesn't own any of us characters, SEGA does!**

**Right! On with the story!**

* * *

_**Beginnings part 2...**_

* * *

Now usually when you woke up, it'd be from the digital alarm clock on your nightstand. Or maybe from a family member shaking you awake. But in Jake's case...

...it was from a _very_ wet tongue.

The boy's face scrunched up in disgust, and from reflex, his hand shot up and quickly wiped the drool off his face. _Wait, drool...?_

Jake blinked the last remains of sleep from his eyes, and looked up once he heard loud panting...

A Golden Retriever towered over him, with another drop of drool threatening to slip and land on the boy's face again. Besides that though, the dog's friendly brown eyes were watching him with glee.

Jake smiled tiredly. "Hey there, Shabestan. I see you're the one who woke me up this morning, huh?" as he reached over and ruffled the dog's head. Shabestan barked in response and jumped from the floor onto the Jake's bed, lying down next to his owner not long after. Jake laughed quietly, already placing a hand on the dog's head to start stroking it. He looked over to his brown alarm clock on his nightstand. The red number digits read 7:06 a.m.

Yep, it was morning alright. Which meant a new day in a new state, a new home.

He frowned. Man, that was going to take some time getting used to...

A small yawn interrupted his thoughts, followed by some shifting.

Jake sat up, and let his brown eyes follow the source of the noise. They stopped short and rested on Miles, who was currently rubbing the sleep out of his eyes in his bed not too far away. The boy yawned again.

"Morning bud. Sleep well?" Jake asked as he too yawned. Guess he was still a bit tired. Miles drowsily nodded.

"Yes. What time is it?" he asked tiredly. Jake checked the clock.

"7:08."

All the sleep from Miles' eyes instantly vanished.

"7:08?!" the blonde cried. "Oh, this is bad! I need to get ready immediately!" and quicker than Jake anticipated a person who had just woken in the morning would, Miles jumped out of his bed, and rushed over to his dresser in such speed that would make Mina the Mongoose jealous. He opened up the drawers and grabbed a pair of socks, boxers, and any other garments he would need.

Jake watched with a small hint of amusement. "Is there a reason why you're so determined to get ready so soon?"

After he checked to see if he had everything, Miles hurriedly slammed the drawers shut and started to make his way out the no-longer empty-new room. "Sorry Jake, I can't answer that at the moment! I'll talk to ya at breakfast!" as he rushed out to find the shower.

Jake shook his head, muttering "he had too much sugar last night," before turning back to Shabestan, who tilted his head in a confused matter. He grinned.

"Last one down to the table is a rotten chili dog."

Shabestan barked at the challenge.

* * *

Tikal had to stop herself from gasping when she heard that. _Last one down to the table is a rotten chili dog? _That sounds like something _Sonic_ would say. Well,...if he were active at the moment. She watched as both boy and dog raced out the room, and waited a few minutes before she phased through the window and into the room.

Floating down gently, her feet touched the ground in no time. But she paid no mind to that. She was deep in thought.

"I didn't think Oracle was serious, but apparently he is. And to think when the boy does start the connection..." she sighed quietly to herself.

This was going to take a lot of work to do. Giving humans powers...were they even worthy? It's not that Tikal had anything against humans, not at all really. She was just worried. Humans may be more advanced than most Mobians, but they were delicate no less. Their bones were weaker than that of the average Mobian's. If the enemy were to come here now and simply give a human being a sudden punch to the stomach, their ribs would shatter instantly. It was frightening to know how much power the enemy held in his finger tips. And not to also mention the fact, that not all humans were pure. She's seen some wrong humans in her lifetime.

The echidna shook her head.

No, this wasn't the time to be negative. She had a team to build and a world to save...starting with giving this boy his required spirit and powers...

* * *

Skidding to a halt in the kitchen, Jake barely gave his shoulders a stretch before he whipped around to meet Shabestan; the dog just catching up. He grinned.

"Ha! Looks like I when this round...which means I get first helping to breakfast, bud." he said triumphantly.

Shabestan whined and sagged in defeat.

"Be quiet, bro." came a tired voice. Jake faced the kitchen table, only to notice Cody lying his head down. He looked pretty tired. "I'm tryin' to get some sleep here." Okay, he didn't _look_ tired, he _was_ tired. Jake rose an eyebrow.

"Okay, I'll bite. What kept you up last night? Did you even get any sleep?" he asked as he opened the fridge.

Cody yawned."Sure I did. About 3 hours of it." he ignored the questioning look he received from his older brother. "And to answer your first question, bro, dad needed my help with bringing the 2nd couch and TV set in last night. And now, I feel like someone sucked all the life outta me."

"Well," Jake started as he poured himself and Cody some orange juice, "if you're that tired, then why are you up right now?"

"'Cuz." Cody mumbled, but loud enough for Jake to hear.

Jake rose a brow. "'Cuz what?"

"'Cuz mum's havin' me and Miles go to some library."

"But you hate reading..."

"Exactly! But mum thinks it'll help me when we start school next week."

"Well, I for one think this will be a wonderful experience for you!"

Both Jake and Cody watched as Courtney walked in the kitchen in much contained excitement. The girl just couldn't hide the huge smile on her face.

"After all," she started with a little twirl as she made her way to a cabinet, "this will be the perfect opportunity to make some new friends!"

Cody snorted. "Wow sis, what's gotten you in a good mood?"

"Oh, nothing much." Courtney said as she grabbed a granola bar. "It's just the fact that I can finally start over! No longer will I be known as Geeky Courtney, but Courtney the Brilliant!"

"I think her ego's gonna make head pop one day." Jake whispered over to Cody, making the now-awake boy snicker. That was when Courtney finally noticed Jake...and what he was wearing.

Her eyes widened. "Jake!" she cried. "Why are you still in your pj's? You should be in the shower right now!" as her brown eyes scanned over her brother's Sonic pj's disapprovingly.

Jake frowned. "And why should I? I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh yes, you are." Courtney smiled.

Jake looked at her with unease. He didn't like that smile or wherever this was heading. "Wh-what are you talking about? There's no way I'm stepping one foot into a stupid library."

"Who said anything about a library?" Courtney chuckled.

The boy's eyes narrowed. He was starting to get annoyed at this point.

"Then what are you talking about?" he nearly shouted. Like he said before, sisters could be annoying.

Courtney shook her head. "Not so loud. The neighbor's are sleeping. Speaking of neighbors..." she grinned. "Today at 9:30, two nice boys from across the street are going to give you a nice little tour of the neighborhood"

Jake stared in silence. He was processing the fact that he was going to be led around by two strangers without any say to this. He hated when his parents would just throw him into different things without his permission. Would it really hurt to ask him before they just put him in things such as this one?

After a few minutes of silence, the boy spoke.

"What the he-"

* * *

"So you must be Jake. Hi. I'm Mathew, and this is my buddy, Rodney."

"H-hello there."

Jake watched both Mathew and Rodney say their greetings and introductions. Lets see, Mathew was almost a foot taller than him and a little older judging from appearance. Black hair, hazel eyes, a black 'Attack on Titan' shirt, red hoodie, black jeans, and black red and black Jordans? Not too bad for wear he guess.

And his little friend looked almost about Miles' height and age. Dirty blonde hair, soft grey eyes, a yellow polo-shirt with a sky blue handkerchief around his neck, a pair of capri jeans, and a pair of yellow Converse...he didn't look bad either.

Jake nodded. "Nice to meet you guys."

"See? You three are already getting along with each other! Isn't that nice?" Courtney asked as took a quick picture on her phone. She couldn't help it. This was the perfect chance for her brother to get some friends. He didn't really have any back in Kentucky...

Jake groaned. "C'mon sis, quit it. Isn't that what mum and dad are supposed to do?"

"Yeah, yeah, alright." the girl said as she placed her phone back in her pocket. "Gosh, can't I have a moment?"

"No."

"Jerk." Courtney muttered under her breath. She couldn't have any fun, could she? "Ahem! Anyway, make sure you're back for dinner."

"Yeah, whatever." Jake waved as walked out the front door. Mathew turned to Courtney with a slight amused look.

"Is he always like this?"

"Yep, but mainly towards me."

* * *

Young Emily Baker hummed happily as she swung back and forth on the swing-set in her front-yard. She just couldn't wait for Amelia to come over and have tea with her. And then the two would play hide n seek, and later on, watch Princess and the Frog. It was going to be so much fun!

The girl sighed.

She just wished her cousin could always be happy. It wasn't fair for a wonderful girl like Amelia to go through something as horrible as..._that! _What did she ever do deserve _that?_

Emily was interrupted from her thoughts when a sudden voice came.

"Emily!" called the voice.

Said girl lifted her head from the ground, and faced the front door. Mrs. Baker, her mother, was standing there with a concerned look. She wondered why.

"Are you alright, dear?" her mother asked with a bit of concern. "You looked like you were about to break down."

Really? Emily finally noticed how moist her soft brown eyes were. Reaching her hand up, she effortlessly wiped them dry. She didn't know she was about to cry. She must've been thinking about _that_ too much again.

"I-I'm fine, mama." she said after a deep breath. No way was she going to cry right there and now. She had to be a strong 6 yr old for her cousin's sake. Her mother didn't look all that convinced.

"Are you sure?" she asked. She just couldn't help but worry for both her daughter and niece. Both have started to act strangely ever since last week...and she didn't know why exactly. Emily nodded.

"Positive."

Mrs. Baker sighed. It didn't look like she was going to find out the problem any time soon. But still...she would have to say something about it sooner or later.

"Well, if you're sure." she said uneasily. She didn't like this "I'll be fixing lunch if you need me, okay?" a quiet "okay" from her daughter told her it was safe to go back inside. She sighed once more. One way or another, she was going to fix this.

Emily watched her mother retreat in the house, before she hopped off the swing. She didn't feel like playing on the swings anymore. Onto something new...

The chalk on the sidewalk caught her attention.

Emily shrugged. "Why not?" as she walked over.

However, what she wasn't expecting was for someone to actually answer that.

"Cuz'" started a deep, rough voice in an Australian accent that sent chills down Emily's spine, "you're too slow, squirt." and before she knew it, someone had her by the arms and gave her a _rough_ shove to the street.

Emily crashed to the concrete immediately. She cried in pain as she felt a burning sensation starting to appear on her left knee. It must've been scraped or something. With pained tears leaking down her face, the 6 year old pushed herself to her feet. She choked back a sob when her knee stung fiercely.

Harsh barks of laughter caused the injured girl to look from her knee to the side walk. Three boys were laughing like there was no tomorrow. The Hooligan boys.

"Oh man, Nathan! Didja see how she flew like a broken bird? Well didja? Huh, didja?!" the boy with dirty blonde hair pestered in high, yet annoying voice.

"Shut it, Brody." Nathan snapped as he smacked the ten year old at the back of his head. The third boy and the tallest, Cai, chuckled quietly to himself.

If Emily wasn't so hurt right now, she would've ran and gotten her mother. But since they were blocking her from reaching her, and she was in no condition to run, she stood there in the street.

"Y-you guys are so m-mean!" she sniffed. She knew it wasn't right, but these boys deserved her hate! They were _always_ picking on her for no apparent reason! And they were with ..._them._

Nathan grinned an ugly grin. He loved picking on poor, defenseless kids. Especially elementary kids like young Emily here. They were like your very own walking punching bags. They were more funner here than in Australia. "Why thank you."

Brody started to bounce excitedly on his feet. "Hey Nathan! Can we go pick on the kids at the park! There's so many things we can steal from them!"

Nathan groaned in annoyance. "If it'll get ya to shut the bloody hell up then fine!"

"Yes!" Brody cheered. "Ice cream here I come!" and he took off before anyone could blink. Both Nathan and Cai shared a glance, before they sighed together. The kid had issues.

Nathan turned back to Emily with one last nasty grin. "We'll catcha later, Galah."

And both boys took off down the sidewalk after their weird friend.

Sniffing and crying slightly, Emily decided to add comfort to her bloody knee and throbbing arm, by rubbing them better. How could anyone be so...so...so heartless? Picking on someone such as herself. She was only six for heaven's sake! Did the words 'nice' and 'good' still exist anymore?

Unfortunately for poor Emily, while she was so caught up in her thoughts... she failed to notice the insane, weaving, FedEx truck coming right at her...

* * *

**So, how was it?**

**Sonic: Whoa, hold on! What's with the girl getting treated like crap? And really? A FedEx truck coming for her? Is that really called for?**

**Oh, stop worrying, will you? As if I'd let an innocent 6 year old die. What do you guys take me for?**

**Knuckles:...Okay. So, what's Tikal doing in here? And why haven't any of us shown yet?**

**Sonic, you go and explain it to him. I'm about to leave myself.**

**Sonic: Yeah, okay. Hope you can keep up, Knucklehead! *dashes off***

**Knuckles: And why should I follow him?**

**He...may have lied about Rouge going on a mission...**

**Knuckles: *eyes widen* GET BACK HERE! *chases Sonic***

**Alright, seeya next time!**


End file.
